


Stay With Me

by EmmaKeladry



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Paul's mind is fading, Romance, Sick Hugh, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 12:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17264264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaKeladry/pseuds/EmmaKeladry
Summary: Paul comes home to find Hugh coughing and not feeling well. Paul takes care of Hugh as he tries to keep grounded while his mind slips into the network.





	Stay With Me

**Author's Note:**

> A long drabble I wrote about Paul taking care of Hugh. It fits before Paul tells Tilly about the physical symptoms he was experiencing from the jumps. One-shot.

The door softly swooshed open. Paul stood in the doorway and tore off his shoes, leaving them on the floor for Hugh to trip over like always. He was exhausted. Every part of his body protested the fact that he was still vertical. Two more jumps today. He couldn’t tell Hugh how much it was taking from him, because he didn’t want Hugh to worry about him. Paul couldn’t do that to him. A sound drew Paul’s attention. He froze and listened, hearing it again. Oh. Oh no.

Paul stepped further into the room and saw his love. Hugh lay on his stomach with one arm tucked beneath his pillow and the other resting on top. His bare shoulders poked above the blanket. Hugh never liked sleeping with a shirt on; a fact that Paul loved. He frowned, realizing that Hugh should be on his shift, not still asleep. They were working opposite shifts a lot lately. It was draining and lonely, but it did make it easier to hide his symptoms. Paul watched as Hugh stirred a little, coughing into his pillow, softly at first and then hard, a harsh sound escaping from his chest.

_Oh Hugh_.

Paul sat down beside him. “Hugh,” he murmured, touching his back and feeling the warmth beneath his fingertips.

Hugh opened his eyes. His eyes were glassy and droopy. He didn’t say anything, but coughed into his pillow again. Paul felt Hugh’s muscles tighten as he coughed.

“Hey,” Paul whispered. “Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m fine. What time is it?” Hugh started to sit up, but fell back against his pillow with an oomph sound. “Okay, maybe not so good.”

Paul placed the back of his hand against Hugh’s forehead, definitely registering his fever now. “Oh sweetheart, I’m afraid you’re sick.”

Hugh weakly shook his head. “Can’t be.” He went into another round of coughing which left him spent and limp against his pillow. “Ouch,” he muttered, placing his hand on his chest.

“Do I need to call Doctor Pollard?” Paul asked.

“No. It’s just a cold. I can ask her tomorrow if it doesn’t get better.” Paul started to stand up, but Hugh grabbed his hand. “Stay with me?” His voice sounded pitiful to Paul’s ears and he wanted to snuggle his love to make him feel better.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Good.” Hugh pulled Paul’s arm close, snuggling with it. His body jolted hard and he started to shiver. “I’m cold. Can you get another blanket?”

Paul slipped out of bed and grabbed another blanket. Hugh’s medical tricorder sat on his nightstand. He picked it up and scanned Hugh, sending the results to Dr. Pollard. She answered quickly saying there were multiple people in the medbay staff who were displaying the same symptoms. She recommended Hugh rest, drink fluids, and she gave Paul instructions for a hypospray that would ease his symptoms. Paul administered the medication. Hugh opened his eyes, but didn’t say anything. He sniffled, watching as Paul changed into his pajamas. He crawled in bed next to Hugh. Immediately Hugh snuggled up against Paul’s chest, wrapping his hands in Paul’s shirt for comfort. Paul covered them both with the blanket and wrapped his arms around Hugh’s frame.

Hugh lifted his head. “I shouldn’t cuddle with you. You’ll get sick.”

“I’m okay. I won’t get sick, dear doctor. Just snuggle with me.”

Hugh didn’t protest, but rested his head against Paul’s chest. Paul started to relax, but a flash of light distracted him. He shook his head, trying to clear the image. It wasn’t real. None of it was real. He sucked in a sharp breath.

“Paul?” Hugh whispered. “Are you okay?”

Heat from a sun beat down on his skin and he breathed in the air that wasn’t the stale recycled air from Discovery. Shit. Not now. He needed to be present with his love, physically and emotionally. Hugh normally grounded him.

“Paul?”

Paul blinked, trying to clear his vision. “I’m okay.”

Hugh gave him a knowing look, but he didn’t say anything. He settled back against Paul’s chest, fighting another round of coughing. The illness exhausted him too much to fight Paul. Paul reached for Hugh, touching his feverish cheek and feeling his rough face beneath his fingertips. He leaned in and kissed him softly. Hugh gently responded.

“I’m okay. Love you,” Paul assured him.

“Love you too.”

It was enough to distract Hugh from his distance. It would get better. Paul would find a way to stop the episodes from happening without telling Hugh. He couldn’t worry him. Hugh was already stretched too thin and very worried about him. He kissed the top of Hugh’s head and relaxed.

When Paul came down with the same cold two days later, Hugh didn’t say ‘I told you so’, but returned the favor of letting Paul snuggle with him until he felt better.


End file.
